Stabilizing yarn



v P 1944. w. J. ELVIN ETAL 2,358,854

STAPI'LIZING YARN Filed July 8, 1941 q 'INVENTORS' W/u/AM J. EL v/N %775 \SV /ALL/5v 91/ TTORNEYS Patented sept. 26, 1944 William J. Elvin, Cumberland, Md., and Bertie Shallis, Keyser, W. Va. assignors to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application July 8, 1941, Serial No. 401322 1 Claim. 19-1) This invention relates to apparatus for stapilizing yarn, i. e., for converting yarn of continuous filaments into yarn containing staple fiber and having the appearance of spun yarn.

In the manufacture of spun yarn from-artificial fibers, the usual practice is to cut continuous artificial filaments or waste filaments into comparatively short lengths, for example, lengths of /2 to 2 inches or more, and then subject the staple fiber produced to a series of operations appropriate to the length of the fiber, such operations being similar to those accorded natural fibers such as cotton or wool, including opening, cardmg, drawing and spinning. These operations represent considerable expense in the production of such yarn since they involve a relatively slow transformation of the initial fibrous material to a finishedyarn.

The object of this invention is the provision of novel means for converting a yarn of continuous filaments into a stapilized yarn similar in appearance to yarns containing staple fiber.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel detachable unit, requiring no alteration of the machine to which it is attached, for converting a continuous filament yarn into a stapiliized yarn.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel unit complete in itself which is capable of being attached to all kinds and types of spinning, twisting and rewinding units for converting a continuous filament yarn into a stapilized yarn.

Other objects of this invention, together with certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will appear from the following description and drawing. v

In accordance with this invention there is provided a means for subjecting continuous filament yarn to the action of an abrasive wheelbetween which and the yarn there is relative movementso as to break the continuity of some of the filaments of the yarn whereby upon being twisted the resulting yarn resembles a yam spun from fibers. The abrasive wheel is mounted together with a tensioning device and adjustable guides on a bracket, the arrangement being such that the abrasive wheel is rotated by the travelling yarn, thus making a. device complete in itself and attachable to various types of machines without cutting required and upon the characteristics of the yarn involved. It will be appreciated that in order to impart a uniform appearance along the length of the yarn, the cutting of the filaments should be carried out in a regular manner. Conveniently, the cutting operation is carried out during a twisting operation performed on the yarn in either a down-twisting or up-twisting machine,

and preferably in such-a manner that a certain engage the yarn as it proceeds from the supply package to a take-up package adapted to insert a twist in the yarn. While .a yarn or bundle of filaments having little or no twist. may bestapilized in accordance with this invention, we have found that more advantageous results are obtained by employing a yarn or bundle of file-.- ments which already'has an initial twist of three turns per inch. Where doubled yarns are to be subjected to abrasive cutting action for the purpose of stapilizing the same, a doubling twist of at least three to five turns per inch should be employed in order to insure even cutting of the filaments of the doubled yam.

While the present invention is particularly concerned with processing yarn of continuous synthetic filaments such as, for example, filaments made of or containing organic derivatives of cellulose and particularly cellulose acetate, it may also be'applied to natural yarns such as silk, and also to the processing of yarn comprising or made up from discontinuous filaments or fibers in which case the fibers in the yarn are cut into smaller lengths. The present invention may also'be used on mixed or compound yarns comprising different twists, plies or origins.

In its broadest aspect, our invention comprises a device in which an abrading wheel or disc, 9.

tensioning device and guides are mounted on a bracket'adapted to be readily attached to a windmodification to the machines or to the device iting or twisting machine; The guides are so arranged that upon the yarn being threaded therethrough the yarn is continuously in contact with the abrading member with a uniform predetermined pressure so thatthe filaments of the yarn are cut by said abrading member.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of our invention is shown:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a complete unit, and

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

The operative parts of the unit may be mounted on a bracket I having an integral ear 2- extending therefrom. Attached to the ear 2 by means of a screw 3 is a. clamp -3 adapted to be mounted on a spinning or winding device a part of which is indicated at 6 and to be held in place by a set-screw 6. Extending from one end of the bracket l is an arm l integral with said bracket, which arm carries a slidably mounted cap 8 which in turn denies it pig-tail guide 9. The position of the guide 9 may be adjusted by sliding the cap 8 to the desired position and locking it by means of a screw it.

Fixed to the arm 7 and projecting downwardly is a pin IE on which is carried a gate tension device, said device being held in position on said arm by means of nuts i2. The gate tension device comprises a relatively stationary leaf l3.

and a movable leaf Hi pivotally mounted on said arm 1. The leaf I3 is provided with an integral extension is which is fastened in any suitable manner to the bracket I. The upper edge of leaf N is provided with an integral projection ll having attached thereto one endof a coil spring 18, the other end of said coil spring being attached to :1. lug IS on the clamp i. The spring 18 is adapted to maintain the leaves i3 and H of the gate tension device in a closed position. Means are provided for adjusting the relative positions of the leaves l3 and Hi, which means comprise a spring mounted on thumb-screw 20 carried by a bracket 2! fixed to leaf l3 by any suitable means as by a rivet at.

The lower end of bracket! is curved as shown at 22 in Figure 2 and has an integral boss 22' which is drilled to receive a stud shaft 23. This stud shaft carries a yarn pulley 26, which is preferably provided with anti-friction bearings, and an abrasive wheel 25, yarn pulley and abrasive wheel preferably being formed as a single unit which is held in position on shaft 23 by means of a cap 26 and a screw 21. The abrasive wheel 26 may be formed of Carborundum, silica, knurled steel or any other suitable abrasive material. While, as stated, the abrasive wheel and yarn pulley may be formed as a single unit it is to be understood that a disc of abrasive material may be attached to the outer face of the pulley in any suitable manneras by cement, glue, screws or the like.

The bracket I also carries an arm 28 pivotally mounted on ascrew bolt 29. This arm 28 has an integral portion 3| extending at right-angles thereto and in the plane thereof and also integral ears 32 extending at right-angles thereto and in a plane at right-angles to the plane of the arm. The portion 3| is drilled to receive a spring mounted thumb screw 33 which is adapted to lust the arm 22 laterally with respect to bracket I. The ears 32 are each provided with an aperture adapted to receive a guide 3 3, which guide may be held in any adjusted position by means of nuts35. The lower end of bracket l is pierced to receive a bolt 36 on which is journalled an arm 37 carrying at its lower end a yarn guide as which may be. adjusted relative to said arm 3? and held in adjusted position by means of nuts 3s. A spring mounted thumb screw ll is provided to position the arm relative to the bracket 1 and an expansible spring 62 is provided to maintain the arm 31 in any position to which it is adjusted by means of thumb screw ti.

In operation the device of our invention is attached to a winding or twisting machine or to any machine adapted to treat a travelling yarn. The yarn, indicated by reference character A passes through the pig-tail guide 9 and then through the gate tension device, around the yarn pulley 24 which causes the pulley and the abrasive element 25 to rotate. The yarn leaving the pulley 24 is directed by guide 3% into contact with a portion of the abrasive element 25. The partially abraded yarn passes from guide 34 to guide 38 which are arranged so that the yarn again passes in contact with the abrasive element 25 whereby there is an additional abrasive action. The yarn is taken from .guide 38 on to a suitable take-up package. Not only are several adjustments provided for obtaining various degrees of abrasion but in addition the yarn does not necessarily have to come in contact with the abrasive wheel twice as shown since guide 38 can be adjusted so that the yarn would not contact the abrasive wheel 25 after leaving guide 34.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description and drawing are given merely by way of illustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An attachment for use with a twisting or winding machine for the production of a continuous staple fiber product by the abrasion of a travelling yarn, and adapted to be attached as a unit to the twisting or winding machine, said attachment comprising a bracket, a. yarn tensioning device mounted on said bracket, a pulley rotatably carried by bracket, an abrasive element on said pulley and yarn guides adjustably mounted on said bracket, said yarn guides being so constructed and arranged as to cause said yarn to pass around said pulley and then to come into contact with said abrasive element and to change its direction to come into contact a second time 

